title: Quam bene vivas referre: curing and caring in psycho-oncology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  By examining the medical-philosophical Latin heritage, some psycho-oncology principles may be traced in Claudius Galenus and Lucius Anneus Seneca. The former hypothesized a link between depression and cancer; the latter strongly underlined the need for not wasting time, living in the present by searching for meaning and reaching well-being of the soul through virtues, even when dealing with misfortune and negative life events.
  
  
  METHODS
  On these premises, what follows here is an analysis of the first steps in the science of psychosocial care in cancer starting with the work of Arthur M. Sutherland and moving on to more recent psycho-oncology research, which has shown the centrality of a biopsychosocial approach in cancer integrating cure and care (within the double meaning of the old Latin noun cura).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Studies of the biopsychosocial approach covering the psychological implications of cancer (e.g., prevalence of emotional distress, application of DSM/ICD classical, and more recent psychiatric classification systems), their psychobiological concomitants (e.g., inflammation and immune dysregulation mechanisms in depression and chronobiology of stress and cancer), and interpersonal issues (e.g., doctor-patient communication and role of neuron mirror system) are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychosocial oncology avoids the distinction between curing and caring and includes science and compassion in a whole approach to the multidimensionality of the human being in balancing evidence-based with person-centered/narrative-based oncology (values-based oncology).
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. luigi.grassi@unife.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods*; D011611:Psychosomatic Medicine; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
keywords: biopsychosocial oncology; cancer; communication; cure and care; mind-body connection; psychological issues; values-based oncology